Amberg



May 27, 1958 H. AMBERG MOUNTING FOR ACCORDION KEYS Filed Feb. 5, 1956 JNVENTOR. HARRY AMBERG'.

United States Patent MOUNTING FOR ACCORDION KEYS Harry Amberg, Rochester, N. Y.

Application February 6, 1956, Serial No. 563,460

Claims. (Cl. 84-434) The invention relates to means for mounting the keys of a musical instrument, such as are used in an accordion or similar musical instrument, and more particularly to an arrangement for mounting said keys individually with respect to a support which is common to all of the keys.

In a great many of the accordions, concertinas, and similar musical instruments, the keys are mounted upon a coextensive pintle or bar which is common to all of said keys and which is usually arranged between the sides adjacent the keyboard. If for any reason one of the keys needs to be removed for repair or adjustment, all of the keys and spacers between the nearest side and the key to be repaired must be removed in order to remove the required key. This necessitates not only an expenditure of considerable time but a disturbance of a number of keys that functioned in a normal and satisfactory manner. Also, the keys which have been removed must and should be replaced in their original positions.

These disadvantages of the arrangement described above are readily overcome by the present invention wherein each key is individually mounted and wherein any key can be removed without disturbing the order or relation of the other keys. This is accomplished by providing a support common to all of the keys'and which is provided with extending and spaced portions on which the keys are individually and pivotally mounted. The extending portions are spaced from each other in accordance with the spacing required for each key and each portion has fixed thereto a guide means comprising a mounting portion which is received by the extending portion and two spaced track sections which extend from opposite sides of the mounting portion. A U-shaped slide member is retained by said track section which permits said member to be moved with respect thereto and the legs of said member are each provided with an open-end slot. In a release position, the U-shaped member is in a position wherein the slots are free of the track section for receiving the ends of the pintle extending from the sides of the key. As the U-shaped member is moved toward the track section, the pintle is retained by the slots and the track section in a pivotal relation with respect to the support. An extension of the U-shaped member engages a protuberance on the mounting portion when said member is in the retaining position to prevent movement into the release position. each key is individually mounted with respect to a common support and is easily and readily removed therefrom.

The primary object of the invention is, therefore, to provide a mounting for the keys of a musical instrument, such as an accordion, by which said keys are individually mounted with respect to a common support.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mounting'for accordion keys in which movement of a single member to a release position permits a key to be readily inserted thereon or removed therefrom.

'Still another object of the invention is to provide a mounting for accordion keys in which a single member is With this arrangement,

ice

'slidably arranged on a support for movement between a release position in which the key is readily removed therefrom or inserted thereon and a retaining position in which said member maintains the key in proper pivotal relation with respect to the support therefor. v

These and other objects and advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art by the description of the invention which follows.

Reference is now made to the accompanying drawing wherein like reference numerals designate like parts and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of an accordion and showing particularly the keyboard thereof;

Fig. 2 is a partial section through one of the keys and showing a preferred embodiment for individually mounting each of the keys;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation view of the preferred arrangement and showing the common support therefor;

Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the slidable member shown in Figs. 2 and 3;

Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the mounting member carried by the support and showing the mounting and track sections thereof;

Fig. 6 is a detail view of an arrangement for coupling the slidable member to the mounting member whereby the former is automatically raised to a release position; and

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of another embodiment of the invention.

While the invention is disclosed and described with respect to the keys of an accordion, it is to be understood that the same structure may be used for mounting the keys of other and similar musical instruments. As is shown in Fig. l and well-known in the art, an accordion it) comprises a keyboard 11 on which the keys 12 are exposed for manipulation by the player as the two sections, only one of which is shown, connected by the bellows 13 are moved relative to each other. Since the key action with respect to the valves within the portion 14 of said accordion is well-known and the invention deemed not to be necessary.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, a support member 15 is substantially L-shaped in cross-section and is provided with spaced extensions 16, said extensions being equally spaced or spaced in accordance with the location and/or arrangement of the keys 12. The base 17 of support 15 is secured in any manner within the accordion to either the side walls or bottom of the section 18 so that member 15 comprises a support which is common to all of keys 12.

The guide means, designated by the number 20 and shown in detail in Fig. 5, comprises a mounting section 21 and a track section 22 which is coextensive with the opposite sides 23 and 24 of section 21. Guide means 20 can be formed of sheet metal, a suitably rigid plastic or similar material. The front 25 of section 21 is provided with a protuberance or pin 26 and with a mounting hole 27 for securing it to extensions 16 by means of screw 28. The rear of section 21 comprises two lips 29 which are formed over to complete the shape of section 21 for insertion on any one of extensions 16. Track section 22 is joined to mounting section 21 by a narrow neck portion 30 and comprises two upright portions 31 which are formed over at 32 to provide a pair of tracks or gibs 33.

Retaining member 35, as shown in detail in Fig. 4, is

essentially U-shaped with legs 36 extending from base 37. One edge of each of legs 36 is provided with an open-end slot 38 and base 37 has a finger piece 39 extending therefrom. Slots 38 are of a size for en- 38 are above portions 31 of track section 22. Slots 38 are then able to receive pintle 49 for mounting a key or having the key removed therefrom. If a key 12 is to be mounted, it is inserted between legs 36 with the pintle in engagement with slots 38. By means of finger piece 39, member 35 is then lowered in tracks 33 until base 37 engages the top of extension 16. In this retaining position, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, pintle 40 is retained against endwise movement by the inner surface of legs 36 and hence, pivotally retained by slot 38. Finger piece 39 which is formed at 41 for engaging protuberance 26 holds member 35 in its retaining position and, as a result, key 12 is held in its proper pivotal relation with respect to extension 16.

By the arrangement described hereinbefore, any one of keys 12 can be readily removed from or inserted into its respective position on support member 15 without disturbing any of the other keys. Also, the pivotal relation of keys 12 with respect to support member 15 is always fixed due to the relation between base 37 and slots 38 and with respect to extension 16.

In Fig. 6, an arrangement is disclosed wherein mounting section 21 pivotally supports a finger piece 50 which extends from ears 51 by means of which said finger-piece is pivotally mounted at 52 on cars 53 which are carried by said mounting section. Pintle 54 is mounted between ears 51 and carries link 55 which is also pivotally mounted at 56 to base 37 of member 25. Ears 51 are mounted eccentrically on ears 53 so that in the holding or retaining position of member 35, ears 51 frictionally engage portion 16 and, thereby, serve to lock member 35 in the holding position. As finger-piece 50 is moved in a clockwise direction, pintle 54 is moved therewith. Since pintle 54 is displaced in a vertical direction and is pivotally connected to base 37, member 35 is also displaced in a vertical direction in tracks 33 until slots 38 are immediately above legs 36 which is the release position, as shown in broken lines in Fig. 2. Likewise, as fingerpiece 50 is returned to its normal position, member 35 is also lowered to its normal or retaining position. During the latter portion of this movement of finger piece 50, the eccentric portion of ears 51 engage extension 16 to frictionally lock holding member 35 in the retaining position.

Fig. 7 discloses another embodiment of the invention in which each of keys 12 is provided with an open-end slot 60 for engaging pintle 61 which is fixed between extensions 16. In this arrangement keys 12 are mounted between extensions 16 rather than on said extensions as in the preferred embodiment. Each of keys 12 is provided with a U-shaped member 62 which comprises legs 63 and a tie bar 64, said member being retained on the key by pins 65. Elongated slots 66 and 67 are provided in legs 63 to permit member 62 to be moved with respect to key 12 against the action of spring 68 which is fixed to lug 71 on member 62 and pin 72 on key 12. Each of legs 63 is provided with an open-end slot 69 which is held against pintle 61 by the action of spring 68, the portion 73 of leg 63 below slot 69 covering slot 60 so that the combination of the two slots on each side of the key serves to retain the key in pivotal relation with respect to pintle 61 and extensions 16.

While guide means 20, retaining member 35 and member 62 can be made or formed of materials other than metal to perform the same function and the embodiments of the invention which have been disclosed are merely illustrative thereof, the invention is not to be limited to the disclosure but is defined by the appende claims.

Having now particularly described my invention, what I desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States and what I claim is:

1. In a device for individually mounting a plurality of keys of the type described comprising a support common to all of said keys, said support having extending portions spaced in accordance with the spacing of said keys, a pintle secured in each of said keys, guide means including a mounting section for engaging said extending portion and a track section arranged along opposite sides of said mounting section and extending therefrom, means slidably mounted in said track section and having aligned open-end slots for engaging said pintle on opposite sides of said key when in a release position beyond said track section and for retaining said key in a pivotal relation to said support when said slidable means is moved to a position in which said pintle is retained between said track section by said slots, and resilient means on said slidable means for engaging said guide means to retain said slidable means in said latter position.

2. In a device for individually mounting a plurality of keys of the type described comprising a support common to all of saidkeys, said support having extending portions spaced in accordance with the spacing of said keys, a pintle secured in each of said keys, guide means including a mounting section for engaging said extending portion and a track section arranged along opposite sides of said mounting section and extending therefrom, a U-shaped member slidably mounted in said track section and having aligned open-end slots in the legs thereof for engaging said pintle on opposite sides of said key when in a release position wherein said slots are beyond said track section and for retaining said key in a pivotal re-v lation to said support when said slidable means is moved to a position in which said pintle is retained between said track section by said slots.

3. In a device for individually mounting a plurality of keys of the type described comprising a support common to all of said keys, said support having extending portions spaced in accordance with the spacing of said keys, a pintle secured in each of said keys, guide means including a mounting section for engaging said extending portion and a track section arranged along opposite sides of said mounting section and extending therefrom, a U- shaped member slidably mounted in said track section and having aligned open-end slots in the legs thereof for engaging said pintle on opposite sides of said key when in a release position wherein said slots are beyond said track section and for retaining said key in a pivotal relation to said support when said slidable means is moved to a position in which said pintle is retained between said track section by said slots, and resilient means on said U-shaped member for engaging said guide means to retain said U-shaped member in said latter position.

4. In a device for individually mounting a plurality of keys of the type described comprising a support common to all of said keys, said support having extending portions spaced in accordance with the spacing of said keys, a pintle secured in each of said keys, guide means including a mounting section for engaging said extending portion and a track section arranged along opposite sides of said mounting section and extending therefrom, means slidably mounted in said track section and having aligned open-end slots for engaging said pintle on opposite sides of said key when in a release position beyond said track section and for retaining said key in a pivotal relation to said support when said slidable means is moved to a position in which said pintle is retained between said track section by said slots, and means pivotally mounted on said mounting section and coupled to said slidable means for normally engaging said support to hold said slidable means in said retaining position and for moving said slidable means between said retaining and release positions when released from said support.

5. In a device for individually mounting a plurality of keys of the type described comprising a support common to all of said keys, said support having extending portions spaced in accordance with the spacing of said keys, a pintle secured in each of said keys, guide means includ ing a mounting section for engaging said extending portion and a track section arranged along opposite sides of said mounting section and extending therefrom, a U- shaped member slidably mounted in said track section and having aligned open-end slots in the legs thereof for if engaging said pintle on opposite sides of said key when in a release position wherein said slots are beyond said track section and for retaining said key in a pivotal relation to said support when said slidable means is moved to a position in which said pintle is retained between said track section by said slots, and a manually actuable release member pivotally mounted on said mounting sec- 6 tion and coupled to said slidable means for frictionally engaging said support to hold said slidable means in said retaining position and for moving said slidable means into said release position when disengaged from said support.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNTTED STATES PATENTS 1,246,998 Pickard et al Nov. 20, 1917 2,565, 13; Kosta Aug. 21, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 310,763 Italy Sept. 5, 1933 344,858 Italy Nov. 27, 1936 351,954 Italy Aug. 27, 1937 357,165 Italy Mar. 4, 1938 

